Labels, Tags & Misconceptions
ASC Grant and McColl Partnership
6th Grade
Introduction:
We are all confronted with labels, tags, and misconceptions regardless of our age, gender, race, religion or wealth. Why do we label people who are different from us? And once someone is labeled, how hard is it to actually see the person behind the label? How many times do we just stop at the label? Through this project we will examine how labels can shape and limit our understanding and perceptions about each other.
Artist, Susan Harbage Page, uses her work to examine the labels, tags and misconceptions surrounding women. She uses the stories and photographs of female textile mill workers, and reclaimed and altered embroidery pieces to explore the changing identities of women in today’s culture. Through her art she gives these women a voice.
Procedure:
Modeling your process after the work of Page you will examine how gender, status, and social class determine the factors that define individuals and groups and the labels, tags and misconceptions surrounding those definitions. You will write their stories, compose personality portraits and create screen printed images of them. You will work alongside the artists to plan, create and execute your own traveling exhibition and presentations that creates awareness in the community and among peer groups, of the power of labels. You will use your artwork to influence and possibly change a society.
The 6th grade students will apply what they are learning about being part of a society in social studies, language arts and visual arts classes to examine their role or perceived role in our society today. Modeling their process after the work of Page, the students will:
• conduct interviews with each other, parents, siblings, teachers, and community members,
• examine how gender, status, and social class determine the factors that define males and females, and groups such as American middle schoolers,
• create and select, based on the recorded stories, text, photographs, and words that are often used to describe the roles of boys, girls, women, and men in our society,
• exchange finished exhibition with students of the same ages in a Charlotte-Mecklenburg school, Bishop Spaugh Middle School.
• analyze similarities and differences they may find, and
• reflect on those findings.
Schedule:
11/07
1. Examine the power of labels (Brown Bag Advisory positive and negative outline activity)
11/07
2. Introduction to the work of Page and the influence of NC textile mills in her work. (BBA)
3. Introduction to photography through the work of Lewis Hine. (BBA)
12/07
4. Practice interviewing skills with peers in Language Arts (Renaissance Minds interviews.
12/06/07
5. Meet the artist, Susan Harbage Page, and tour her exhibition (McColl Center)
6. Reflect on her work and how she examines labels, tags, and misconceptions (VA/BBA)
12/12/07
7. Trip to Mint Museum of Art: Contemporary, Cool and Collected exhibition - Examine identity. How does culture determine our individual and social identities? (CC&C Lesson)
Winter Break
1/22
8. Learn about photographic compositions, photographic techniques, the difference between photographic art and snapshots, and how to create a personality photograph. (Visual Arts)
1/24
9. First visit from Susan Harbage Page to critique our photographs
10. Artmaking - Self-portraits. (Mint CC&C pg 6-7)
11. Conduct interviews with parents, grandparents and others (LA/BBA/VA)
12. Compose photographs and create preliminary designs on small scale t-shirt (VA)
2/21
13. Work with Janet Lasher on images and layout (text to include, size, font, images) VA
3/6
14. Work with Susan Page on critiquing final design layout (VA)
3/19
15. Work with Janet Lasher on finishing image transfer
16. Assessment and Reflection
4/4
17. Opening at McColl Center
Assessments: (see rubrics attached)
1. Conducting an Interview
2. Creating an Artwork
3. Participation and Reflection